The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-12-29

8tvlnR VI YlUDoUGDx 0uO IUC6 GUkO y0U Y1uoO
Of our Chfinmss. The Greeks and III mem
ber Of that church watch the old yooR out
and the new one IN - We do. and when day
dawns the head Of the family must entse his
home and break pomeglsnate on the door
night before New Years booths sss crscSsd
for the sale Of candies, flgs, dates, raisin1,
nuts OF all kinds, pomegranates, and toys,
and however poor man is, II is obligatory
as much Of these things e be can
buy. Some Of these poor people have 10
scrape and pinch for long months
toward e provision for this great feast Of the
year. The wives make q point of giving
own hands. The most useful present is .
tobacco pouch either crocheted out Of gold or
silver thread or embroidered richly. The
men never give their wives or children any
presents but money, and this the poorest
little, cheap toys do not count, for there arc
none but the commonest and most destruc-
tible kind. The amount given to each
necessarily depends upon the means of the
man, but the money he gives his children Il
their bank, and Is kept always, 50 that BY the
time they are grown there is quite little
sum.
Among the wealthier classes of all the
Greeks and Bulgarians the gentlemen pay
empty. ty.handed, and when they take. their
leave they find all the servants of the family
drawn up in line at the door awaiting the
gift Of money which is always given. The
gifts which the gentlemen are obliged by Gus
tom to give the wives of all their friends are
their friends; but II is very heavy tax on .
mans purse New Years il emphatically the
ladies' day in that country, and the Gus
tom Of giving presents can 6e traced
ladies visit each other, but on New Years
Day none leaves her home.
Refreshments of coffee, q "a turQus, are
served with sweetmeats, but no wine or
liquor of any kind. Indeed, no drunken
TSs @heS n
tenaciousje jelly, Favored with the odor Of rose
| or violet, are served in glasses, and with each
tray is another glassful Of tiny gold or silver
spoons, and an empty glass. You are ex-
you prefer, swallow this and place the
soiled spoon in the empty glass On no &C
| count take another spoonful. After this,
coffee is served, glass Of water being taken
between them.
| Of the day are over, among the wealthier
classes and the poorest. the family and
| sometimes several families meet for an
evenings innocent fun. An immense cake
has been made the day before, and in it are
| tWO oluull plcCcS "a ollNCIy COppCI OA
gold money. The cake is cut into the same
number Of pieces as there are persons present
and each one eats his or her piece, and who
ever Of them gets coin is the king or queen
Of the feast, and of all other social gather
then crowned with artificial flowers and
then follow games, some of them very anus
| ing and witty, and quite unlike any have
ever seen in any other country, though some
of them we have closely copied.
played by taking plate and piling It full Of
Hour in q conical shape and placing small
| silver coin in the summit of the cone, one
edge sticking out little. Then all who
play have their arms tied behind them and
they get down on their knees and stoop for.
ward in the effort to take this money out Of
the -four with THEN teeth without touching
| their noses in it. Some Overbalance and
stick the whole face in. It is very difficult
to do and isprovocative Of much fun. Every
body enters into the games with spirit from
the oldest to the youngest.
The night before Christmas there are num-
bers of blind men who go about from house
to house, singing song much like the carols
in England, and ending by asking aims in
return for blind mans blessing. Some OF
them improyise their verses as they go along
and make local hits and illusions, which
cause much merriment. They usually have
violins, lutes or guitars, and always get
money.
| Gpipuduy ID duOtuCk SICoO CClCNAOhy Ol
the Greek Church. even more solemn and
impressive than that of Christmas Eve. The
people go fasting to church as before and
listen in reverent silence to the service,
which is to commemorate the baptism OF
Christ, and they wait for the celestial light
which is simulated by sort of strong reilec-
tor. Then each one lights his wax candle,
which every man, woman and child must
have, from a light furnished by the church.
Each I, one bring brings :, paper liant Lantern. r and this
} to his dwelling. It would indicate great
disaster to household if that light should
go out on the way. As soon as they reach
home the wife lights little lamp with her
taper, and this lamp is placed before the
which decorates the poorest Greek or Bull
garian home. This light must on no account
be allowed to go out for seven days.
Just before the lighting of the candles by
} the congregation in church, the priests per-
and bless it. As each one files out of church
he takes can or bottle of this holy water
home, and this is carefully preserved to be
used in extreme cases and in sickness during
the following year. On the arrival Of the
around table with nuts and fruit a. at
Christmas Eve, only now each one must take .
drop or 80 of holy water into bis or her mouth
before beginning to eat. and they all retire.
to be up early to assist at the great ceremony
| VI OlcSSlLS Vic Wotcl.
There is little village called Arnautkeui,
or rather was, for it was destroyed by fire re.
) Gently. situated on q point of land at the en-.
, trance to the Black sea. At this point there
is q terribly swift current, which rushes with
, awful force through from the Black sea into
, the Bosporus, and it is called 'the devils
current" This part of the strait is wonder
fully beautiful. particularly when seen al
. early morning entering from the Black sea
3 1t is at this place where the ceremony II
, held, and here all the Greeks Bulgarians anG
Russians who can walk 30 far come to wit
ness the blessing of the seas, which il
r a most impressive ceremony, though easily
] traceable to the old, benighted days 1t end
g by the chief priest taking large silver cru
, cifix and throwing it into the midst Of thi
dark, swift current, and almost before /
q touches the water q dozen strong swimmer
n plunge after it, crashing their way through
t the floating ice and snow, for it is considers
y q great honor to save this cruciix, beside
/, which it is a source of q not inconsiderabl,
profit, as the one who has preserved it ID en-
Q titled to the use Of large silver salve
f from the church and the permission
q to place this cross upon it and CART
, 1t around from door to door, and hav'
!. for his own whatever money the people give
and all orthodox Greeks give something. 8.
u far the crucifx has never been Lost, and tn
}, same one has been used from time immem
Orial, as it il always returned to the churcl